Wooden Signs for Restaurants — What You Actually Need and Where to Put Them

A well-run restaurant communicates clearly before a customer says a word. The sign on the door tells them you're open. The notice on the table tells them how to see the menu. The allergy sign tells anyone with a food intolerance what to do before they order. Done well, signage is part of the experience. Done badly — or not done at all — it creates friction, questions and the occasional avoidable complaint.

This guide covers the wooden signs that restaurants, cafés, pubs and bistros actually need, where they work best, and how to order them without overcomplicating it.

The signs most restaurants need

There's no definitive list — every venue is different. But the following come up consistently for customer-facing food businesses of most types.

Open/closed sign

The most basic piece of front-of-house communication and still surprisingly often done badly. A double-sided hanging sign — Open on one face, Closed on the other — is the standard format for most restaurant doors. Personalised with your restaurant name, it looks intentional rather than generic. Available in oak veneered MDF or bamboo, with jute string or hook hanging.

For venues with specific or variable hours, a freestanding opening hours sign personalised with your trading hours sits well at a till or window display. If your hours change seasonally, use the personalisation box to specify the exact wording you want.

Food allergy sign

Under UK food law, restaurants and cafés are required to communicate allergen information for the 14 major allergens. A food allergy sign prompting customers with allergies to speak to staff before ordering is the standard front-of-house approach, and it's a legal requirement to have a system in place — not just a nice-to-have.

The standard wording: Food Allergy or Intolerance? If you have a food allergy or intolerance, please let a member of staff know before ordering.

Freestanding formats work best for most restaurant settings — they can be positioned at the till, on tables, or moved between service areas without any fixings. Double-sided is worth it if the sign will sit on an open table or counter approached from both sides. See our full wooden business signs range for freestanding, hanging and A4/A5 formats, with and without logo.

QR code menu sign

QR code menus became near-universal during the pandemic and have largely stayed. A wooden QR code sign on each table — linking directly to your digital menu — is cleaner than a printed insert, survives spills and regular handling, and never goes out of date if you use a dynamic QR link that can be updated without reprinting.

Our QR code table signs come in freestanding format with a removable base — easy to move and reposition. Standard (74×112mm) and large (115×168mm) sizes. Engrave your restaurant name and logo alongside the QR code for a considered finish. Provide your menu URL in the personalisation box and we generate the QR code for you.

Google review sign

For most restaurants, Google reviews are the primary driver of new customer decisions. A sign at the till or on the table prompting satisfied customers to leave a review — scan a QR code and they go straight to your Google review page — is the most frictionless way to grow your review count consistently.

Available as freestanding table signs, solid oak blocks for bar or table top use, and QR code coasters. See our Google review signs collection. If you'd prefer tap over scan, our NFC signs do the same thing without needing a camera.

WiFi sign

Offering customer WiFi is expected by most diners now. A freestanding QR code sign with your network name and a scannable link — customers scan, their phone joins the network automatically — saves staff repeating the password hundreds of times a week and looks considerably better than a laminated card taped to a wall.

Reserved sign

Simple, frequently needed, often forgotten in the signage brief. A freestanding Reserved table sign in the same oak finish as your other signage ties the room together. Personalised with your restaurant name if you want the extra detail — or standard wording only if you're ordering a set for multiple tables.

No smoking / no vaping sign

Required by law in enclosed public spaces. A wooden no smoking sign looks significantly more considered than a generic plastic compliance notice, and given the cost difference is modest, it's worth doing properly. Available in freestanding and wall-mounted formats.

Signs for specific restaurant types

Cafés and coffee shops

Counter-service cafés typically need a food allergy sign at the point of order, a QR code sign for any digital menu or ordering system, and a Google review sign at the till. An opening hours sign in the window or at the door rounds it out. Because customers are at close range, standard-size signs (74×112mm freestanding) work well — you don't need large formats for counter-level display.

Restaurants with table service

Table-service restaurants benefit from per-table QR code menu signs and Google review signs positioned where they catch customers as they're settling the bill. A food allergy sign at the entrance or host stand — in addition to or instead of per-table placement — works well for larger venues. Reserved signs for a room with advance bookings. The key is consistency across tables: the same sign style throughout reads as a deliberate design choice rather than an afterthought.

Pubs and bars

Pubs typically have more surfaces to work with and more varied customer flow. The bar is the primary interaction point, so food allergy and Google review signs belong there. Dog-friendly pubs benefit from clear dog-friendly signage — Dogs Welcome signs at the entrance, and house rules for where dogs can and can't go. Beer garden or outdoor areas with food service need their own signage rather than relying on indoor signs being visible from outside.

Restaurants in hotels

Hotel restaurants have the additional context of guests who've already seen a certain standard of signage throughout the property. Consistency across the hotel's wooden signage — door hangers, room signs, restaurant table signs — matters more here than in a standalone venue. Our hotel and hospitality range covers the full suite if you're kitting out a property end to end.

Oak or bamboo?

Most restaurant signs we make are in oak veneered MDF. It engraves with consistent, high-contrast results, looks warm and natural in most restaurant interiors, and is the more economical choice for a set of table signs ordered in bulk.

Bamboo is worth considering for venues with a strong sustainability focus — it carries FSC Chain of Custody certification (certificate RINA-COC-001256) and engraves with natural grain variation that gives each piece a slightly more handmade quality. It's priced higher because the certified material costs more to source. For most restaurant signage purposes, oak veneered MDF is the right default.

Bulk ordering for restaurants

Most restaurant sign orders involve multiples — QR code signs for every table, reserved signs for a full room, food allergy signs for multiple service points. Bulk discounts apply automatically at checkout:

• 20 units — 10% off
• 50 units — 15% off
• 100 units — 20% off
• 250 units — 25% off
• 500 units — 30% off
• 1,000 units — 35% off

For multi-site restaurant groups or franchise operations ordering across several venues, get in touch before ordering and we'll confirm pricing and lead times. Current dispatch times are shown at checkout on each product.

Where to start

If you're setting up a restaurant from scratch or replacing existing signage, the practical starting point is:

1. Open/closed sign for the door
2. Food allergy sign for the till or entrance
3. QR code menu or Google review signs for tables
4. No smoking sign where required

Everything else — WiFi signs, reserved signs, dog-friendly notices — can be added as needed. We make everything to order in our workshop in North Wales, so there's no minimum order and no stock to manage.

Browse the collections most relevant to restaurant signage: wooden table signs, QR code signs, Google review signs, wooden business signs, and open/closed and opening hours signs.